The Copy - Alternate

By DanH2010 :D

A/N title explains it really nothing to say….hope you enjoy x

(X)

Alice stood at the giraffe copy, fully aware that this could be the last time she saw her giraffe. Ok he wasn't hers but she felt an affinity with this animal. Here he comes, an interloper trying to integrate himself into a new family. Will they accept him or will he forever feel on the sidelines. Looking in, longing to give the love he felt…

"Have more luck than I did." she murmured to him softy.

As well as the affinity she felt for this amazing animal she felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Without his protective presence over Danny who knows how he would have faired, would he have even survived? The thought, she realised did not bear thinking about.

So now here she stood, at this copy watching Hamley bond with his new mate.

"Good boy." she whispered brokenly. This animal had more sense then she did.

She stood vainly trying to stop tears from falling from her eyes. Eventually instead of trying to stop the flood she let them fall freely. Her heart was breaking, shattering. She was such a fool! Why couldn't she have told him earlier. When she first knew what these feelings she felt were. From the beginning she had felt a spark. At first it had been a spark of annoyance, then it grew to be much more than that. They were so good together they connected but she had wasted her time and now Vanessa owned his heart. The heart she hadn't had a claim on anyway. The pain she felt, it was unbearable. Nothing had hurt her this much before. Sure she had loved Charlotte's father but what she felt then hadn't even hit a tenth of the emotional collapse she was feeling at this moment. It was best that she and Charlotte left. She couldn't hang around, not to see Danny and Vanessa so…...she shook her head and swallowed thickly. It wasn't that she didn't want to see Danny happy, she truly did. It would just be too hard hanging around thinking of what might have been if only she had been able to confess 3 little words. Amazing how those 3 little words held so much power to change a persons life.

Alice felt a fresh pain at the thought of how close she had came to telling him, showing him how she felt. There on the veranda after Dupe 'left.' So close and yet so far. Fate had intervened. God but love hurt, love obliterated. She'd bounce back though. Her heart would mend. Maybe not fully but it would eventually piece itself back together. One day she'd look back on her memories here and smile. She had some great times here. Had met this incredibly sweet, sensitive man…..she exhaled. He was going to want to know why she was going - no way was she going to tell him the real reason. Him pitying her? No thank you! It isn't his fault that she had fell for him against her better judgement! She thought of all the times he used to look at her and smile. His smile, he had so many. His cute smile, his little endearing grin. His excited beam. God why was she torturing herself in this way? It would just be best if she forgot him! She head a truck rattling up behind her. She quickly tried to wipe away the evidence of her heartbreak.

(X)

Danny strode towards the truck, a man with a purpose. Vanessa nothing but a distant memory. All he knew was that he had to get to Alice! He had to speak to her, to find out why she was leaving. He had to do something he had wanted to do for weeks, possibly since the first time he saw her. The truck chugged along the route. She couldn't go, her place was by his side. Not only in the surgery but through life. He didn't want their old platonic relationship anymore. He wanted her to be his, only his. Feelings for her filled every dark crevice in his soul. The darkness that had once resided inside him had slowly dissipated when she was around him. She made him feel lighter. When he thought of the past few months with her he couldn't remember feeling sadness over Sarah's passing. It sounded awful but when he was with Alice he didn't think of Sarah at all. His mind filled with images of Alice. Her smile her walk. The array of faces she would pull, even that cute one when she ate oranges all twisted and cringing. He thought of her soft laugh, her confident walk. The way they bickered good naturedly in the surgery. He couldn't lose that, her.

As he drove, far faster then he should he couldn't help but think of what might have drove her away. She was happy here wasn't she? She hadn't been herself since the crash. Since returning home form Mara especially. To be honest he hadn't been himself either, not since Dupe had told him that Alice loved him. It had been completely out of the realm of possibility. Alice, in love with him? Not a chance! I mean she's just….beyond words really. No comparisons even came close to her. And him, well his faults were miles and long. And he knew he irritated her. It had been the final words that had haunted Danny, the ones that had slowly begun to convince him that maybe Alice felt a slight something. 'Danny, Be careful.' Dupe had sounded genuinely concerned. Dupe would NEVER sound like that unless he was certain. But see Dupe had been wrong before. On more occasions then he could count. What if he went over there and only gave Alice another reason to leave! He jerked the truck to a stop. He didn't want to give her another reason to leave!

But Danny! A voice chided, she's leaving anyway. Instead of giving her a reason to leave what if you are giving her a reason to stay?

Danny pondered that thought for a few seconds. Dupe couldn't always be wrong could he? Even a clock that had stopped was right once a day! Mind made up he started the truck again. It roared to life and he floored the accelerator. Not giving himself any more time to talk himself out of this!

(X)

Alice turned back, to look at the approaching truck. O great! She thought as a tall man with haunting green eyes and brown hair climbed out. It was Danny. Just who she wanted to see when she felt like her heart was going to implode! She heard herself tell him that he should be resting. Trying to make polite conversation then she went back to staring at her giraffes. Ordering her feelings to stay down. She kept them in an iron grip. In complete control. She felt them yearning to be released, but he wasn't hers and she had to remember that!

"How's he doing?" Danny asked approaching her. Holding his ribs slightly.

She nodded. "Good." that was the only word her brain could seem to think up at the moment.

As she answered Danny was looking at her and seen her, truly seen her for what felt like the first time. The soft beautiful features he knew so well were the same as always but different somehow. He knew he loved every single part of her. Came to a stop behind her. "You know I think I just might owe that animal my life, and since you're the stubborn person who insisted on buying him I think I might just owe you too!" he exhaled a breath after the final word. Realised he was looking at her like a lovesick fool, but didn't care.

Alice turned towards him and smiled a fake smile. "Your welcome." she took a small step back then motioned to the truck. "We should be…." she tried to turn towards the truck when Danny stopped her, he put his hand on her arm. She felt it's heat immediately.

"I saw your suitcase!" he told her.

She exhaled a slight breath. "I would have said something. I wouldn't have just left!"

"But why are you leaving?" he asked confused.

"Because…." she began. The words on the tip of her tongue. Courage deserted her and the words disappeared into the wind along with the breath she exhaled. "Look, it doesn't matter ok?" she told him, trying once again to sidestep him.

Danny wasn't easily deterred. "Yes, it does!" he looked intently at her face trying to gauge any emotion in it. Trying to read any messages in her eyes. They showed nothing. Didn't give him one clue. "Danny really it's….." her throat grew tight and her breathing grew heavier.

"Alice?"

"Danny we really do have to get home." she squeaked.

He looked at her then. Felt something inside him fade away. Maybe Dupe was wrong! He inhaled deeply. He saw her begin to bite on her lower lip. Noticed her eyes slowly begin to go glassy. She closed her eyes and turned, walked towards her truck. Her head was slightly lowered and her back ramrod straight. At that moment he knew, knew she felt for him as deeply as he felt for her. Something was making her hold back!

"Alice." he told her.

He saw her stop for a fraction of a second. Then she carried on towards her truck withpout looking back. He stood there. This was it! He was on the edge here, he was losing her. She was going to leave unless he did something to stop her!

"Alice!" he said softly.

He saw her stop, saw her shoulders raise as she inhaled. He didn't waste a second. Walked towards her quickly. Grabbed her hand and turned her so she faced him, tried to show her how much he loved her with his eyes. "Alice, you can't leave." he said softly.

"Why? She whispered.

"Because…..because I…." he faltered.

"Danny?" she questioned. Put her hand up to his face.

He leant into her gentle touch. Felt her warmth seep into him. This small simple gesture made it easier for him to admit his feelings. To finally let out what was pleading to be released.

Alice went to remove her hand but he placed his hand over it. "Alice, you can't go because I love you." he told her simply. Removed her hand from his cheek and pressed a kiss to the back of it.

Alice's jaw meanwhile had became slack and her heart lurched in her chest. "You love me?" she squeaked.

"More then I ever thought possible."

"But what about….."

Danny placed a finger over her lips. "If you don't mind very much I'd like to kiss you now so of you have any reservations speak now." he murmured.

All Alice could manage was a nod. He lowered his head before she could change her mind and captured her lips with his own. Almost immediately he felt Alice's arms twine around his neck and she rose onto her tip toes. He deepened the kiss. Everything at this moment was perfect. He had everything he wanted in his arms, a herd of elephants could have trampled through here and he wouldn't have noticed. The only thing that existed at this moment was him and her. All his senses were fully attuned to her, they were being absorbed by her touch. Her heat. Her taste. He longed just to stay and kiss her all day but he couldn't. He pulled back and put his hand to her cheek.

"From the first time I set eyes on you." he said breathlessly. "The first time!" he stressed.

Alice smiled at him, Danny realised she had never looked at him in this way before. She was so beautiful she took his breath away! Her blue eyes sparkled with pure love. His chest expanded.

"I love you too." she murmured when her voice fully returned to her. Her grabbed her hand and they went to sit in his truck. He put his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him. He pressed soft kisses to her head.

"If I ask if your still leaving is that a stupid question?" he murmured.

"Um, yeah!" she replied. Basking in the glory of newly discovered love. Until a thought entered her head. Not a thought actually, make it a word, a person…Vanessa.

Danny felt the change in Alice immediately. "Alice?" he asked.

"What about Vanessa?" she asked pulling away.

"What about Vanessa?" he asked pulling her back towards him. Refusing to relinquish the closeness he felt.

"She said you and her were…..involved."

His eyes widened. "First I heard of it!"

Alice looked into his eyes and saw the sincerity shining from the green eyes she had grew to love so much.

"Whatever she said Alice, it isn't true. The only person who I love is you. The only person I wanna be with is right here with me. The person who haunts my dreams and has invaded my every waking moment is sat right here beside me, looking very beautiful by the way!"

Alice carried on looking at him after his little deceleration.

"You're the only one!" he whispered huskily.

She nodded and they kissed again. This one was softer. It was a lingering kiss. Passion filled, full of love and sweetness and care. They broke the kiss and he rested his forehead on hers breathing deeply.

"What are we…." she began.

He cut her off with a chaste kiss. "We'll take us a day at a time." he suggested.

She smiled widely and nodded. They looked at each other.

"I love you." they said simultaneously.

A/N ok and there we are :D whenever I watch this ep I always think that it should really b danny doing the declaring of his feelings and of course danny being danny would leave it until the final second….

This IS supposed to be a one shot but if any of u r interested in a second chapter about them returning to the house and their first night as a couple then I can give it a bash…it may take a while tho, wish I could rush the creative process but it refuses, I have tried :/ my muse hits bk if I try to rush it x hope u enjoyed x